Board Member Feature: Tes Aiello

Born and raised in Winnipeg as a first-generation born Filipino-Canadian, Tes is part of the vibrant and large Filipino community in Manitoba of over 80,000 and growing.

Wanting to connect more to her cultural traditions, Tes began dancing with the Magdaragat Philippine dance group, the sponsoring organization of the Pearl of the Orient Philippine Pavilion, in the 1980’s. She began her Folklorama journey as a performer, returning in 2007 as a teacher and as a volunteer backstage. She has also been a Pavilion Ambassador, a Pavilion Chair, and Pavilion Co-coordinator.  She proudly shares that her mother used to be a Coordinator in the 1980s and that she is the parent of two children who have been a part of the Pearl of the Orient Philippine Pavilion and who continue to teach the future of Magdaragat.

Tes has been a Folklorama Board of Directors member since 2019, and became Chair, Review Committee in 2022 and 2023.

Tes has worked in the financial industry for close to 20 years and currently specializes in Human Resources recruitment.  She has received several community awards, including the Filipino-Canadian Champions of Canada award in 2019.  She has been instrumental in prospering and preserving culture for several not-for-profit boards in Winnipeg, including the Philippine Heritage Council of Manitoba, the Manitoba Filipino Business Council (original board member), and the Pinays of Manitoba, a Filipino Women’s group.  She also serves on Gender Equity Manitoba from the Manitoba Status of Women Secretariat.